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© FrugalAbundance
2007-2011
GFCF Means
Gluten
Free & Casein Free |
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Natural Sweeteners
First be aware that natural sweeteners are far more expensive than
plain white sugar. If you want to sweeten your food naturally
then you're going to have to cough up the cash to do it. White
sugar, brown sugar and powdered sugar on the other hand, are
easily the least expensive sweeteners one can use and are universally
available too. For those of us who must watch every single cent
of our food dollar and still fulfill our doctor's recommendations,
processed sugar is probably the best choice. It works perfectly
in cooking and baking and is the standard by which we measure other
sweeteners, both natural and artificial.
Brown sugar is simply white sugar that has been mixed with a
little bit of molasses to give it a darker color and richer
flavor. Powdered sugar is white sugar that has been
finely ground to make it suitable for specific applications like
frosting and candy. Both are available in organic form at about
4 times their regular pice. Many people will turn their noses up at
processed sugars, but I do not count myself among them. While I
appreciate the theory behind all-natural sweeteners, I cannot always
afford them and that means using regular sugar more often than
not. The key I feel, is to use fewer sweeteners in general,
regardless of whether they are natural, processed or artificial.
If one must have natural sweeteners, there are plenty from which to
choose. The most common is Honey. The least
expensive way to buy it is in a large bottle at a warehouse store
like Sam's or Costco. It can usually be found at an almost
reasonable price at discount superstores. Usually (but not
always) large containers are cheaper per ounce than small
containers. Check the unit price to be sure. The type of
honey available at all of these establishments is pure honey.
It is illegal to doctor honey in any way, so generally you can be
sure that even the cheap stuff is good quality. Since most of
the honey I buy is used for baking, I don't mind purchasing honey
that has been heat treated to remove the beeswax. If you need raw
honey then your local Natural Food's Store is a good place to find
it. Also consider looking for it at local farmer's
markets. In the country I've seen houses with signs by the road
that say "Honey For Sale". This is a great way to
find high quality honey at a moderate price, plus you're supporting
your local economy too. Honey will never be cheap, but if you
shop around, economical sources can be found.
Maple Syrup is another delicious natural sweetener. It
takes 30 to 40-gallons of sap to make 1-gallon of maple syrup.
If you figure that each tree provides an average of 10 gallons of
sap, then it becomes obvious why it's so expensive. Farmers
must boil down 3 to 4 trees worth of sap to get 16-cups (1-gallon) of
syrup. The process is labor and resource intensive. Results
are pure heaven, but we pay the price for it too. Tiny jars of maple
syrup available at most supermarkets are probably the most expensive
way to buy it. Most warehouse stores sell large jugs that are
cheaper per ounce. I dole out maple syrup judiciously. It
is yummy, but too expensive for everyday use. I never buy
organic maple syrup because I absolutely cannot afford it.
Costing upwards of 4 times as much as regular maple syrup, the
organic version is outside of my humble food budget. For those
who have the cash though, it's a very special way to celebrate your wealth.
Molasses is the poor-man's natural sweetener. It's more
expensive than white sugar, but less than honey. It has a
strong, pleasant flavor that just hovers around bitterness. In
the South it has been used extensively for centuries. Most
molasses is labeled unsulphured these days, but check the label to
make sure. Sulphured molasses is processed from unripened sugar
cane. Sulphur is used to allow the manufacturer to get as much
sweetness from the cane as possible. With fully ripened sugar
cane, sulphur is not needed because the plant willingly releases it's
sweetness. Blackstrap molasses is a concentrated version of
molasses that is very high in iron. It is made from the last
pressing of the cane and therefore retains the most nutrients.
I like to keep a bottle around the house for flavoring and as a
nutritional supplement.
Other liquid sweeteners include barley malt and brown rice syrup.
Both are good tasting, but slightly bitter. Brown rice syrup
has the superior flavor and is gluten-free. Barley malt has slightly
more sweetening power but also contains gluten. Both are about half
as sweet as honey. Corn Syrup is not a natural sweetener. No
matter what anyone says about it, it's totally processed, usually
from genetically modified corn. In baking it can be replaced
with an equal amount of honey or molasses or any other liquid
sweetener. Generally speaking I have found this a successful
alternative. The main thing corn syrup has going for it is it's
price. At my local Dollar Store I can get 32 ounces for
$2. This makes it a tempting purchase for a frugal
kitchen. Use your best judgement in deciding if it will be part
of your diet or not. Most whole foodists choose not to use corn
syrup in any form.
If you're looking for a granulated natural sweetener there are
several choices. They all cost about 4 to 5 times as much as
plain white sugar. The best of the bunch is a product called Sucanat.
It's name is a combination of the words "SUgar CAne,
NATural" and is a registered trademark of PRONATEC AG
Switzerland. It is made by first pressing the juice from natural
sugar cane and then cooking the juice down to a thick syrup.
Next the syrup is dehydrated and finally ground into sweet, sandy
bits that are used just like regular sugar. All of the
nutrition from the sugar cane remains in Sucanat, making it a whole
food instead of a processed sweetener. Sucanat can replace
regular white sugar or brown sugar in almost any recipe, especially
in baking. For instance, if a recipe calls for 1-1/2 cups sugar
(white or brown) just use 1-1/2 cups of Sucanat instead. It
will give the finished product a darker color, but if you are using
whole grains anyway, there won't be any noticeable difference.
Rapadura is another evaporated cane juice. It's similar to
Sucanat but some people believe it to be superior for reasons that I
don't yet fully understand. It tends to cost more than Sucanat
and is harder to find.
Organic Cane Sugar, another granulated sweetener, is quite
similar to white sugar. The only differences are that it
retains some of the molasses from the cane and does not go through
the bleaching process. It is finely granulated and of all of
the natural sweeteners is the most like white sugar in texture and
application. If you must have a wholesome sweetener that is
very similar to white sugar, then this is your best bet.
Sometimes it is called Florida Crystals, which is a brand name.
Organic cane sugar tastes good and is a natural alternative to white sugar.
Demerara, Turbinado and Raw sugar are all about the
same thing. I usually refer to this product as turbinado sugar
because this is what I heard it called as a kid. It can usually
be found in large supermarkets in the baking aisle. Turbinado
sugar crystals are light brown and very large. They are
excellent in candy making and delicious in hot tea, Postum or
coffee. They also bake reasonably well, although some cooks
prefer a finer product like Florida Crystals or Sucanat for cakes and
cookies. Just like Sucanat and Florida Crystals, Turbinado
sugar can replace white sugar in almost any recipe. Since the
crystals are larger than those found in normal sugar, the texture of
baked good sweetened with turbinado sugar may be somewhat
grainy. Some people feel this adds to the appeal of turbinado
sugar, while other folks disagree. Personally I like the
texture in combination with whole wheat flour especially. It
adds to the "natural" aesthetic.
If organic is your preference then plain white sugar, brown sugar and
powdered sugar are all available in organic versions. Once
again they are pricey. Natural food stores and larger grocery
stores carry these products and they can be used just like regular sugar.
If you need and can afford natural sweeteners then go ahead and make
use of them. It is certainly less expensive to use natural
sweeteners and make your own natural foods at home than to buy them
ready-made. But if you can't afford natural sweeteners, then
don't worry about it. White granulated sugar, brown sugar and
powdered sugar are not as bad as some would have us believe. By
using fewer added sweeteners and focusing more on naturally sweet
foods like ripe fruits, fresh vegetables and whole grains, we can
still reap the benefits of whole foods. The sweetener
controversy is like the margarine verses butter dilemma. If you
have enough money to indulge in the higher prices versions, then by
all means do so. If you don't have the extra cash then use the
economical alternatives and take comfort in the knowledge that you
are still feeding your family well. Homemade foods, whether
they contain white sugar and margarine or butter and Sucanat, are
still much better for the family and for our dietary goals than
prefabricated foods plucked ready made from the aisles of the
supermarket. Taking control of one's diet is the goal, and the
ingredients that make up the stepping stones towards the goal are
available in every price range. It's important that we focus on
the good we can do, instead of getting bogged down in controversial details. |
